Who needs a library to access public domain ebooks? The whole point of a library is to allow people to share resources that wouldn't be available to any single person because of their cost. That means libraries should focus on making available copyrighted non-free ebooks to their subscribers. There is a need for a new legal framework to allow libraries to lend out ebooks in the same way as they do paper books, without all the restrictions publishers would like to impose.

There's aready the Adobe Content Server used by a fair few libraries. I am sure there are other products out there that serve the same purpose.

I think this is definitely the way forward for libraries into the digital age - as an added service to the normal library business.

I have read somewhere (I think it's in the UK) about libraries having a fair deal of success with this especially with the older population and people who aren't very mobile. This is where libraries lending out e-readers would help with people getting familiar with the technology.

Also, something tells me there is a thread or 10 on this forum discussing this issue already